Running head: application paper

Application Paper
Jessica R. Stec
Concordia University
June 26, 2015

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Application Paper

Through my ten years of teaching, I have had many experiences, many good and some
bad. During this course I have had the opportunity to analyze my vocational calling and
recognize my responsibility in family, work, church, and community. I will be sharing what I
have learned, and how I will apply this as I move forward.
Concepts, Ideas, and Issues
I was raised in what I consider to be a normal, two-parent home in rural Oklahoma. My
parents took us to church regularly, we ate dinner together, and shared many religious and family
traditions. It may seem odd to some, but I have yet to this day seen either of my parents drink
alcohol. Growing up my parents tried to teach us right from wrong and followed the saying,
Spare the rod, spoil the child. We (my sister, brother, and myself) have all moved forward with
our lives and are productive members of society. The first weeks discussion topic referred to
absolute rights and wrongs and if they are universal. My personal belief is that there are
universal rights and wrongs, and most people are taught these by caregivers at an early age.
Even if they are not taught then, society eventually ends up teaching individuals what is right and
wrong. When I refer to society, I am referring to communities. Schools, churches, community
groups, and certain individuals that have involvement with youth teach right and wrong.
Unfortunately, even when these have been taught, many choose to forego the rules and do
what suits them. We are in a world that puts me first. Selfishly, many choose the wrong
because of their own desires. My role is to continue teaching my children and others I come in
contact with the rights and wrongs of our world. I have two of my own children that will
eventually move on and it is my responsibility to teach them in order to be productive members
of society.

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In readings and discussions of places of responsibility, I have learned a lot and thought a
great deal about my purpose in life. Im not on this earth for myself. I have a purpose and need
to understand this and take pride in everything I do. No one said life would be easy; there will
be times of difficulty. It is how I act and react through these times that define who I am. As a
wife and mother I must give of myself in service to provide for my family. As a teacher I must
do my job to the best of my ability to educate the children, be a role model for them, and witness
to them. As a follower of Christ I have a responsibility in the church to be active and be used
where I am needed. In community and world I must be involved and lead others. I recognize
my specific roles and want to live a life of service.
I have currently lived in Nebraska for three years. My husband and I moved here to
provide a better life for our children. It has not been an easy adjustment for me as I am in a
small town and do not necessarily fit in. In a previous assignment I mentioned I have taken a
new position and our family will be moving. The reason for this has not been one of our choice.
My new principal refers to it as recent unpleasantness. Without getting into much detail, a
situation occurred and it became very hurtful toward myself and my family. We decided I would
resign, even though everything that occurred was wrong. The statement was later made that I
was from Oklahoma and did not fit in in Husker nation. I recognize my culture is not the same
as where we are located, and yet I embraced the culture here in an effort to belong. I hold my
beliefs and values strong, and portray that in what I do. Unfortunately, some do not see the same
as I do and education is not the top priority. Through this experience I have learned a great deal
and still believe the same, if not more than before. My culture is where I come from, and what I
have learned; I have learned about other cultures but always respect others and accept differences
in others.

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As we continued through the course we discussed how God is working through what we
do in our vocation. I know my calling in life was to be a teacher and mother. Through the
disappointment of what has happened, I still believe this is true. Several students have expressed
to me the impact I have made in their lives, and at the same time they have impacted me as well.
I plan on moving forward and keeping this as a reminder. I am just an instrument used by God to
fulfill his purpose. I feel like through this class I am able to understand and appreciate that its
not about me, but about my service to others. I want to be the best teacher and mother I am
capable of for my students and children. As Benne (2003) states, If nurturing is taken seriously,
time and effort must be devoted in a disciplined fashion to providing children with a sustained,
orderly, and secure environment of love (p. 136). I appreciate this statement because it holds
double meaning for my role as mother and teacher.
Moving on I learned about StrengthsFinder and am interested in this for myself. I know
in previous application processes I took quizzes and/or questionnaires from Gallup that were
used by the district. I never received those scores, but am interested in the results and am curious
what it would say about me. Id like to take this myself now and see what the scores would say.
I believe I have certain areas of strength, but maybe Im not as sure as I think I am. I think doing
this could help me with insecurities in different areas, and even point out weaknesses in areas
that I could work at improving.
Lastly, in reading the last chapter from Benne, I am reminded of my responsibility in the
church. I believe I have probably held the selfish views of what the church could do for me,
instead of recognizing what I can do, and the purpose of the church. Benne comments, If the
main message of the church is that God has demonstrated his love for us in Christ, then that love
must be reflected in the life of the church as well as in the lives of individual Christians (p.

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211). He continues, Christians, both individually and corporately, lack credibility if they
announce Gods love for sinners but cannot muster any love on their part for those same sinner
(p. 211-212). Loving others is what it is all about. Veith (2002) mentions, The whole purpose of
every vocation is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39) (p.65). Somewhere
along the way, I lost sight of this and have been living a worldly life.
What will I do differently?
In moving forward, my life is in for some major changes. We will be moving within the
next month, and will be getting a fresh start somewhere else. While I am excited for this, I am
still nervous and even a little bit scared. My priorities have definitely been adjusted in my life,
and I must constantly remind myself to stick to them. Selfishly I sometimes choose myself over
others, and must consciously keep my focus on giving of myself to others in service. We will be
searching for a new church home and I look forward to ways I can be of service there. Starting a
new position gives me pride to join an incredible school system that holds education to a high
standard as well as all of the staff members. My children and my husband will no longer be put
on the back burner to my career, and I look forward to growing stronger as a family. I plan to
remain active in the community and become involved in areas that affect the community. If our
future is important, then we should plan with the future in mind. Staying involved will help me
be an asset for decision making and leadership in my positions.
Overall, this course has benefited probably more than it may have had I not been through
some tough issues over the last several months. I have had the opportunity to learn and grow
from this experience and realize how truly blessed I am. The places of responsibility are all a
part of my life, and in finding a balance between everything, yet still giving of myself I will be a
happier and fulfilled person.

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References

Benne, R. (2003). Ordinary saints: An introduction to the Christian life. (2nd ed.). Minneapolis,
MN: Fortress Press.
Veith, G. E. Jr. (2002). God at work. Wheaton, IL: Crossway